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SRSO bloodhounds find a missing person and track burglary suspects, all in one morning

It was a busy morning Wednesday for two K-9 deputies with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Bloodhounds Copper and Zinc helped deputies locate a missing person who had become lost in the woods in the early morning hours Wednesday, before they went on to locate two burglary suspects later in the morning, according to a press release written by SRSO spokesman Sgt. Rich Aloy.

Around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Santa Rosa County dispatchers received a call alerting authorities about a man who had gone canoeing on Coldwater Creek but never returned home.

SRSO deputies began a search for the man near the Coldwater Creek Bridge with the assistance of the Skyline Fire department, who deployed a river boat.

The canoe and a cooler were located on a sandbar, but when the man was not seen in the immediate area surrounding the sandbar, Zinc and Copper were called in. They tracked through the woods and found the man in need of assistance.

The man was guided out of the woods and to an awaiting ambulance where EMTs provided medical assistance.

While the Bloodhounds were headed home, dispatchers received another call that required K-9 help. This time, it was related to a vehicle burglary in progress.

Two burglary suspects had run from deputies near Makenna Circle in Pace.

Zinc and Copper tracked the suspects to a backyard on Makenna Circle, and deputies found Juwuan Trason Rease, 18, of Pace, hiding inside a shed. The K-9s located a second juvenile suspect hiding behind a trash can. Both individuals were taken into custody.

County records indicated that Rease was charged with larceny, resisting arrest and five counts of burglary.

Colin Warren-Hicks can be reached at colinwarrenhicks@pnj.com or 850-435-8680.